The Top 5: Baseball Movies

Everyone wanted in on this list and it’s no surprise. Playing catch with Dad, riding bikes all around town, and breaking neighborhood windows– the memories came flooding back. That’s because this week’s list is:

The Top 5: Baseball Movies

Jonathan Gardner

1. Bull Durham – Free of the hokey Americana of most baseball films, Bull Durham is a droll and unglamorous look at the fringier side of minor league baseball.
2. The Sandlot – I hope I’m not overrating this just because I liked it so much when I was younger, but The Sandlot is very funny and more about baseball fans than baseball itself.
3. Eastbound and Down Season 1 – Not technically a movie, but I’m counting it since the six episodes play like one long, profane, twisted journey through the psyche of Kenny Powers.
4. The Bad News Bears – The Walter Matthau version, of course. And a total classic.
5. Field of Dreams – Yes its a cliche, but a heartmeltingly effective one.

Brennan Lowery

1. The Sandlot – An all-time classic with stellar re-watch value. The chase scene with the dog through the town, which takes them through a wedding party, several restaurants, and I believe a giant playground, rivals that of any other movie chase scene. And yes, I am including Speed in that debate.
2. Rookie of the Year – A super close second. When Henry strikes out the ‘roided up slugger with his mom’s patented softball pitch at the end, the tears were flowing. And you have to love classic exchanges like:
“Hey, kid! How’d you like to play for the Chicago Cubs?”
“Great! But I gotta ask my mom first.”
3. Angels in the Outfield – Danny Glover, Tony Danza, Christopher Lloyd? If this movie doesn’t spell instant classic remake then I don’t know what does. The dramatic struggle of faith for most of the characters is a powerful reminder that, in some way or another, every professional athlete is somehow cheating at all times.
4. Baseketball – Hey, you know what? It’s my list. And don’t even pretend like you and your friends didn’t do the rhythmic “giving-the-bird-then-cutting-finger-off” to each other every day for like 3 years. You didn’t? Well, it’s my list.
5. A League of Their Own – Tom Hanks plays a killer drunk in this one, Madonna before she was absolutely crazy, Rosie O’Donnell as, well, her usual annoying and terrible self, and you have an instant winner. The Kit/Dottie collision at the plate was like watching the missiles finally break through the shields on Independence Day, and this movie would have only been better if Bill Pullman had started the championship game with this mankind speech.

Tom Geiger

1. Major League – I love everything about this movie.
2. Bull Durham – Funny AND poignant.
3. A League of Their Own – Includes arguably my favorite Tom Hanks
scene of all time.
4. Field of Dreams – I always thought it was overrated but still a solid flick.
5. The Sandlot.

Evan Hill

1. The Sandlot – We used to play a game growing up that involved running away from my friend’s dog. I learned all of my moves from Benny the Jet.
2. Major League – The closest Charlie Sheen will ever come to having a heart, and he plays a character named “Wild Thing.”
3. Little Big League – Thanks to this movie, I make fantasy line-ups for every team, in the hopes of being called on to manage.
4. Rookie of the Year – Another movie that reminds me of my childhood. And remember when that doctor says “funky butt loving”? I do.
5. Angels in the Outfield – Just when I thought I had nothing left for this category, I realized I had an angel with me.

Brett Kettyle

1. Major League – “You may run like Hayes, but you hit like S#!t.”
2. Bull Durham – “You just got lesson number one: Don’t think; it can only hurt the ballclub.”
3. Field of Dreams – “Is this heaven?” “It’s Iowa.”
4. The Sandlot – “Heroes get remembered but legends never die.”
5. The Bad News Bears – “Hey Yankees… you can take your apology and your trophy and shove ‘em straight up your ass!”

Dan Sweatt

1. Bull Durham – If only for the gloriousness that is Kevin Costner’s monologue… good night
2. The Sandlot – They did what we all wanted to: french lifeguards and listen to James Earl Jones speak in person
3. Field Of Dreams – YOU TOLD ME YOUR FINGER WAS A GUN!
4. A League Of Their Own – In addition to my favorite comedic turn for Tom Hanks, this movie also boasts the only Jon Lovitz role that makes me consider the thought that he was worth to this planet
5. 61* – The film no one remembers. Is it strange that the only filmmaker to credibly grasp the stresses of Major League Baseball weights approximately the same as my right calf? Kudos, Mr. Crystal.

Michael Ferrera

1. Bull Durham – It’s legitimately funny and doesn’t coast on the inexorable link between the America’s emotional core and the sport of baseball, or whatever bullshit Mike Lupica writes.
2. The Sandlot – Did shit like this actually happen with Baby Boomers? Were there daily or weekly games of pick-up baseball in abandoned building lots? Or did it happen once, but it’s a very fun memory, so they assume it happened all the time? Shit like this certainly never happened when I grew up. My friends and I had a home run derby once on our old Little League field when I was 16. Will I write a movie when I’m 54 about all those amazing summers filled with home run derbies?
3. A League of Their Own – My cousins and I used to watch this every Christmas Eve when I was a little kid. So this movie makes me think of Santa.
4. Rookie of the Year – Right up until the point when he pitches softball style. Daniel Stern getting caught in the space between the conjoining hotel rooms was the funniest thing I saw in 1993.
5. Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch– Because I didn’t want Field of Dreams making my Top 5. Fuck you, Field of Dreams.

Anything we forgot? Scroll down to the comments section and give us a list of your own.

You guys are a bunch of F%gs…Air bud? Angels in Outfield? Rookie of the Year?

No mention of The Natural, Sugar, For the Love of the Game, Bang the Drum Slowly, The Rookie, Eight Men Out, Bingo Long and the Traveling All Stars, Mr. Baseball, Pride of the Yankees, Baseball:Ken Burns, Fever Pitch (Red Sox Suck), The Stratton Story.

I dont know who the guys are that compiled these lists but they are not baseball fans, not movie fans, and should change their respective tampons when they get a chance….

Shea

This rant brought to you by the guy who suggested FEVER PITCH.

Molitor

@Shea, Fever Pitch sucked but it’s more watchable than Air Bud, Angels in the OF, and R.O.Y…If you cant appreciate all the scenes shot at beautiful Fenway your a bone smuggler…